Voices from Israel and Palestine: Com-passionate Listening to Conflicting Realities is a long title for a complex topic. By offering an interactive presentation on this theme, Roberts Creek residents Bonnie Sherr Klein and Michael Klein hope to bring balance and deeper understanding of the suffering of all sides in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The Kleins are both Jewish and they've experienced the debates. "People endlessly argue who did what first," Bonnie said. "It gets nowhere."
They travelled to Israel and Palestine last year as part of a delegation from the Compassionate Listening project; it proved to be a transformative journey that was about listening and learning. Their presentation on the Coast will use some of these techniques and will be held in the Arts Centre in Sechelt on Friday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. All are invited.
Compassionate listen-ing is about understanding and is based on the premise that an enemy is someone whose story you haven't heard. The Kleins have gathered stories from both sides, from Palestinians and from Israelis. The words have been edited only slightly and audience members will be called upon to read the stories aloud.
"It simulates the experience of compassionate listening," adds Bonnie. "You're reading the story in the first person, as 'I', and the story tells about your child being murdered."
The stories are about trauma, death, fear and humiliation, about lack of employment and the arbitrariness of life in a war zone. There are also messages of hope. Those who had stories of peacemaking to tell actively sought out the couple during their visit.
Bonnie is a documentary film maker and disability rights activist. Michael is professor emeritus of family practice and pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. Both had prolonged associations with Israel prior to their 2008 visit. Michael had colleagues and friends there and Bonnie acknowledges that she loves Israel.
"I was raised with all the dreams, but I realize it's more complicated than that," she said.
This visit was different. This time they travelled more widely, visiting Jerusalem and crossing to the West Bank to see the refugee camps where people have lived since 1948. They met and talked with people on both sides of the conflict.
"The compassionate listening tour itself was excruciatingly clear about balance," said Michael. The couple hope to create the same even-handedness within their presentation. When Jewish people talk, they may risk descending into conflict, the couple point out. Non Jews may feel that they can't talk without offending someone. The Kleins' hope is to make a safe environment in which to talk about the subject. The couple have made this same presentation in Vancouver and were heartened by the response.
"After the stories, people asked clarifying questions. If the mood is right, that's the kind of questions that will come," Michael adds.
The presentation will also include Michael's photographs of their experiences to place the stories in context. Admission and refreshments are by donation. For more information, see www.compassionatelistening.org, phone Bonnie at 604-740-0150, or email [email protected].
